Monday, February 1, 2010

What would Fannie Say About Black History Month?

by Tom BurrellAuthor of Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority

As a socially-accepted, designated observance, Black History Month rarely explores the unresolved psychic trauma that resulted from centuries of oppression, media manipulation and conditioning. Presented in “past tense,” the observance stymies true reflections of the price paid for progress.

sis that addressed black inferiority conditioning. Have we truly progressed past Woodson’s description of “the Negro … taught to despise” his own race, who prefers to patronize white businesses and desires the seats of “righteousness controlled by his oppressor?”

Would Justice Thurgood Marshall or Martin Luther King, Jr. claim “we have overcome” when confronted with media images of President Obama and LeBron James as monkeys or Tiger Woods as a sexual predator? Would Malcolm X still blame the “white devil” for the disproportionate numbers of uneducated, impoverished, unemployed or imprisoned blacks or the inexcusable number of deaths related to black-on-black homicides?

2 comments:

My copy of Brainwashed was waiting for me when I came in from class last night. I began to read it this morning and had to force myself to put it down so I could do some essential activities. This is a must read for people who desire equitable change in human relationships. It is well written and extemely readable. While it needs to be shared, I intend to keep one copy next to Cornell West's Race Matters and Ellis Cose's Color-Blind: Seeing Beyond Race in a Race-Obsessed World. Great job Sylvester.

Wow, Van, happy to hear you have the book and have started reading it already. It was an intense and enlightening experience. I can't watch TV anymore without noticing signs of the brainwash conditioning. I sincerely hope Mr. Burrell's book sparks significant conversations and action. Thanks again for picking it up so quickly.-- Sylvester

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About Me

Born and raised in St. Louis. In 1987 started Take Five Magazine, a pro-active, community-based, investigative publication. Operated for 15 years. Hired as Metro columnist with the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 2002. Brought Bill Cosby to town, debated Bill O'Reilly and wrote a column that saved a baby's life. After leaving the Post-Dispatch in 2009, started working with SmileyBooks as a consultant and writing contributor. Founded When We Dream Together, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing urban communities in 2011. In 2012, began "The Sweet Potato Project," a summer program aimed at teaching "at-risk" youth entrepreneurial skills. Students planted sweet potatoes that they turned into a viable, marketable product-a sweet potato cookie. Currently running both nonprofits, working as a freelance writer and consultant and about to enter the self-publishing arena.

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Commentary on this blog represents my views and opinions only. All items are subjective, except where specified and/or stated otherwise. Videos, clips, quotes, statements, etc., are included for emphasis, clarification, verification or as follow-up sources for particular subjects and issues. Usage of this material does not imply, express or emphasis any other views other than what is implied in the blog posting. There is no connection between this site and any other site, organization, company or publication of a similar name or previous association. -- Sylvester Brown.